Extraction apparatus



E. IH. cUMMlNs l EXTRACHON APPARAT'US Fi1ed 1109.15, 1920 4sheets-sheet@ l y/ i5@ 5 1 i OOOOQOOOOOODOOOOOOOU z OoooooooooooooooooooL ooooooooooooooooooo'c/o t il 4 .51AM /74 CUM/WNS.

July 31, 1923.

E. H. cuMMlNs EXTRACTION APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4k Fliled Nov,

Patented July 3l, i923.

unirse srarss' EARL H; CUMMINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, TODADANT .&

v HAMILTON, ILLINOIS, A PARTNERSHIP.

attain earner series..

sons, or

nx'rn'AC'rIoN APPARATUS.

To aZZ whom. t may concern.:

Be it known that. I, EARL H. CUMMiNs, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in anExtraction Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings and to the numerals of reference markedthereon, which forma part 'of this specification.

This invention relates to the extraction of materials by solvents and,-although not restricted to such use, is particularly adapted forextracting beeswax from slumgum .y In the bee industry the wax ,ist

separated from impurities as farv as possible by melting the mass in hotwater whenv the melted Wax rises to the top and floats onthe surface.'The molten wax is then skimmed oit and strained to` remove deadl beesand the like. The residue is put in layers with straw, and is pressed toobtain more wax, the straw acting as a filter; this product is known aspress-wax, while the residual matter is called slum-gum. The lattercontains 25% to 60% of beeswax.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improvedapparatus for the extraction of materials by solvents.

Another object of the invention is to pro# vide an apparatus wherebybees-wax may be extracted from slum-gum.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus ofwhich there is a 4minimum loss of the solvent used.

Other and furtherimportant objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and drawings.

The'invention (in a preferred term) is .illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the features ofthe present invention,

Figure 2 is a paratus.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the apparatus on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4: is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

top plan View of the ap- Figure 5 is a section on the line 5--5 ofFigure 3.

Figure 6 is a section 4on the line. 6-6 of Figure 3. i

Figure Fi ure- 2.

igure 8- is a sectional view showing the construction of the sides andcover of the receiving tank.

7 is a section on the line7-7 of niethod-of securing the. solventcontainer to the crate and the door therefor. Figure l0 is as'ectionalview showing the construction .of the filling pipe and its funnel.- y

As shown on the drawings:

A- solvent for beeswax such as ether, chloroform, carbon bisulphide, oilof turpentine orfixed oilsis introduced into a container 1, where it isvaporized. The vapor-passesby pipe 2 into a condenser 3 and theIliquefied solvent drops onto the slum-gum arranged in a basket, crate orsack 4. The solvent charged with beeswax then passes into -a drum 5,where the solvent is again vapor- .into the space between the containerl and Hot water or steam intake and outlet pipes are provided at 8a andthe outer shell S.

8b, the intake of either the steam or hot water at 8'rL beingthermostatically controlled. The outer shell 8 is supported by a seriesof legs 9 secured to the bottom plate l0 of the shell.

Above the plate 7 is attached a steel cylinder 1l provided at one sidewith hinged doors l2 oi sufficient size to allow the basket 4 to beinserted and withdrawn. When the basket is in position it is supportedby a series of angle members 13 secured to the plate 7 so tha-t there isa clear space for liquid below lthe bottom of the basket. The condenser3 is connected to the cylinder 11 by Figure 9 is a sectional viewshowing the' a. conical member 14 to the uppe:` end of which is securedvalve 15. s

At its upper end the condenser B is formed with a conical Atop 1Gconnected to the pipe 2 by which vapor passes from the container 1 intothe condenser 3. As: the vapor passes downwardly through condenser itstrikes against a coil of pipe 1i', through which cold water iscirculated with the result that the vapors are condensed andthe liquidformed drops and runs down through the open valve 15 and then drips ontothe dum-gum in the basket 4. Passage of the vgases down-the center ofthe condenser without 'contact with the coil 17 is prevented by a seriesof balile plates 2O obliquely arranged on a central supporting bar orrod 21.

Preferably the solvent is allowed to stand in contact with the slum-gumfor'some time to aid the solution of the beeswax. F or this purpose. aSiphon connection is provided between the cylinder 11 andthe drum 5. Asshown, this syphon connection includes a vertical pipe 22 communicatingat its lower 4end with the bottom of the cylinderll, a

vertical pipe 23 connected to the upper part of. the drum 5 and a seriesof horizontal pipes 24 extending between the two vertical pipes. A valve25 is arranged in each of these pipes so that the pipes may be usedselective-1y in siphoning ott the liquid. The solvent accumulates in thecylinder 11 until it reaches the level of the particular pipe 24 whosevalve is open, then siphoning begins and continues until all the solventhas been transferred to the drinn 'The temperature of the solvent` and`,dissolved material in thel chamber 11 and crate 4 is controlled 'by acoil of pipes 1l, which extends underneath thc crate 4 and approximatelyhalt1 way round it up to the toplot the same, the coil being'discontinued at the front of the chamber 11 so as notl to interfere withthe withdrawal ot the crate 4 through the fluidtight gates 12.

The drum is provided with a jacket 26 supported by a series ot' legs 27.Into this jacket steam may be introduced by a pipe 2S provided with athcriuostatically controlled valve 29. The condensed water may bewithdrawn through pipe 30 from time to time. Tf bot water instead otsteam is used the water may be carried awa v from the jacket b v pipi`3l; The drum 5 is maintained at a lower teniperatin'e than the chan'iberl1. bnl the healY of the steam or hot 'water in the jacket 2b issu'flicient to cause the solvent to vaporixe and pass b v pipe 32 intothe upper part ot the container l. from whence it `Loes withoutrecondensation to the condenser l. A pipe. 35 is provided leading fromthe top of lthe container 11 to the condensing chamber This pipe isprovided with a valve 36 which is kept open during the operation of theapparatus and allows any excess vapors to escape from the condenser 3and chamber 11 to the cooling tank 5 where they are either liquetied orpass over `to the tank 1.

When'substai'itially all of the wax has been l -been removed from drum5, valves 36, 3T

and 25 are closed and valve 38 is opened. Air is then blown through themolten wax in the drum 5 by means of a pipe 39 having a valve 4() andterminating in a perforated coil 41 arranged in the bottom of the drumThis air carrying with it the last traces of solvent escapes from thedrum through the now open valve 38. Finally the purified molten wax isrun out of the drum 5 into a suitable container by means of pipe 42.

A vent pipe 43 terminating in an elevated tank 44 is provided for theescape of entrapped air and any excess vapors. This ver#l pipe isprovided with a regulating valve/45. The lowermost siphoning pipe 24 isadapted to completely drain the chamber 11 as its level is slightlybelow that of the bottom v7 of said chamber. A pipe 46 providedwith anair-tight cap or valve anda removable funnel 47 lis attached to theupper portion ot the solvent container 1 for the purpose of filling;`same. The funnel is made removable so as not to interfere with the doors12. The doors 12 are adapted to close air tight for which any suitablepacking and lining material 48 is provided.

As shown, the gauge 49 is built into very close relation with theoutside wall 26 of the drum 5, this being necessary in order to keep thegauge at a sufficiently high temperature at all times to properlyindicatethe amount of solvent and solute in the drum 5, which wouldcongeal in the gauge 49 it same were allowed to cool thereby. rendering,it inoperative.`

lVhen the extraction of beeswax is accomplished in this apparatus and bythe method described, the product is very pure and has the true `goldenvellow color of first run7 wax which has hitherto not been obtainablewith such last run products, except by bleachingr with oxygen, ozone,etc.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through awide range without departing from the principles ot this invention. andI therefore do not -purpose limiting: the. patent granted otherwise thannecessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. An extraction apparatus including a solvent receiving. chamberadapted to be alternatelyI heated and cooled, a condenser,

means connecting the condenser 4 with the solvent receiving chamber, amaterial receiving chamber connected to the condenser containing-aperforated crate and provided with heating coils and air-tight doors, adrum for receiving the solvent and its dissolved material, and automaticSiphon means and excess vapor escape means connecting the receiving drumwith the material receiving chamber.

2. An extraction apparatus including a solvent receiving chamber adaptedto be alternately heated and cooled, a condenser, means connecting .thecondenser with the' solvent receiving chamber, a material receivingchamber connected to the condenser containing a perforated crate andprovided with heating coils and air-tight doors, a drum for receivingthe solvent and its dissolved I material, automatic siphon means andexcess vapor. escape means connecting the receiving drum withthematerial receiving chamber, and means'connecting the receiving drumwith the solvent receiving chamber.

3. An extraction apparatus including a solvent receiving chamber adaptedto be alternately heated and cooled. a condenser,

means connecting the condenser with the solvent receiving chamber, amaterial receivlng chamber connected to the condenser containing aperforated crate and provided with heating coils and air-tight doors, adrum for receiving the solvent and its dissolved material, automaticSiphon means and excess f'apor escape means connecting the receivingdrum with thematerial receiving chamber,

means connecting` the receivingdrum -With EAR-L H. CUMMINS.

Witnesses i J. JAMES OCONNOR, HORACE VVATERs.

